Home Start Camden food &clothing distribution for Vulnerable families
1
The Pitch
Problem statement
Home-Start Camden and Islington provides practical and emotional support to parents of children under five who are struggling to cope with everyday life. Parents are referred to our service for a range of reasons including, having experienced domestic abuse, mental health conditions, their or their child's physical health or disability and living in temporary or inappropriate accommodation. Almost all the families we work with are in financial hardship and we provide practical support and advice to alleviate the effects of poverty and disadvantage. all our families are supported by our trained volunteers who who offer peer support through home visits for 3-4 hours per week.
Solution
This funding will be used to fund our family emergency essentials scheme where we provide food vouchers, nappies, and essentials to some of the most vulnerable families in Camden and Islington. Most of our families face a multitude of complex challenges and issues related to disadvantage and as such are struggling financially and having to choose between basic essentials. The funding will support these families throughout the coming months especially as they are likely to feel even more pressure on their budgets considering the cuts to Universal Credit, rising fuel bills and the end of the furlough scheme. The impact will be to alleviate the present circumstances of families.
Why are we best placed to deliver?
Home Start Camden & Islington are best placed to deliver this project because we have built trusting relationships with our families through our volunteers who spent 3/4 hours a week with the parents. In sharing the time and space the family are able to access support that they need and in specific situations the volunteers are able to provide the practical support and offer what is needed at the point of need. This can include the provision of access to our emergency food and clothing program. Overall the service is volunteer peer led support which within the early years arena is a unique model of delivery and is assessed on the needs of the family.